08/10/2012

Details of intentional homicide trial of Bogu Kailai, Zhang Xiaojun

English.news.cn   2012-08-11 00:58:37

HEFEI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The attention-grabbing intentional homicide trial of Bogu Kailai and Zhang Xiaojun opened Thursday in east China's Anhui province.

All seats in the courtroom of the Hefei City Intermediate People's Court in Anhui were occupied when the trial began.

More than 140 people attended the trial, including relatives and friends of the two defendants, relatives and friends of British victim Neil Heywood, diplomats from the British embassy and consulates in China, media representatives, deputies to China's legislature and members of China's political advisory body, as well as members of the general public.

Prosecutors presented evidence and summoned forensic experts to testify, while the defense counsels of Bogu Kailai and Zhang conducted briefings for them, respectively. Legal representatives for the victim's family also presented their opinions.

The trial lasted for about seven hours, and the court announced that the judgment would be delivered on a day that has yet to be announced.

TRIAL DETAILS

When Hu Quanming, chief judge of the No. 1 Criminal Division of the Hefei City Intermediate People's Court, announced the beginning of the trial at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Bogu Kailai and Zhang were escorted by marshals to the defendant seat.

Bogu Kailai, nee Gu Kailai, was born on Nov. 15, 1958 in Beijing, with her household registration listed in the city's Dongcheng District. She was a practicing lawyer in Beijing.

Zhang Xiaojun was born on Oct. 22, 1979 in Guxian County of north China's Shanxi Province, and his household registration is listed in Yuzhong District of Chongqing Municipality in southwest China. He was an employee of the General Office of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The hearing started at 8:35 a.m. after the chief judge informed the parties of their legal rights during the trial. Du Wei, a prosecutor for the People's Procuratorate of Hefei City, presented the indictment.

According to the indictment, Bogu Kailai and her son, surnamed Bo, had conflicts with Heywood over economic interests. Concerned about Heywood's threat to her son's personal safety, Bogu Kailai poisoned him with the assistance of Zhang.

Read more at XINHUA NET

Aug 10, 2012 6:49:35 PM | Current Affairs

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